Let's say for arguments sake, when you are planning on getting married, you are thinking Long Term. At least I would hope that everyone who is planning a wedding is doing so because they believe there marriage will last forever. Let's also assume for a minute, that your marriage will last until "death do us part".

Shouldn't your photography also last forever?

I really believe we all set out thinking of how our married lives will go. You and your spouse will have successful careers, a house, 2-3 kids - 2-3 dogs or all of the above! So, let's fast forward 25 years. Your children are grown and starting families themselves. It's coming up to your anniversary and you are feeling nostalgic. "Let's look at out wedding photos!". Will you even know where the DVD is that you got from your photographer 25 years ago? Will it still be usable technology? Even if you put them "in the cloud", will you always have access to your own wedding images online? I promise you, if you ever run into these scenarios, you'll wish you had a wedding album! By the way, we never get calls about missing wedding albums.

When you put in that perspective, in theory, it should make it a little easier for you to decide on a wedding photographer. You should pick a photographer who will provide you an album as a part of the money you pay to have them. I do not believe an album should cost extra. Only 1 out of 10 couples who only receive a DVD from their photographer actually go on to make an album before they lose their disc or stick it in a drawer for eternity.

This is your Love Story!

A wedding Album is a book, same as one of the classic love stories like, 'The Princess Bride'. Your album should stand the test of time both visually and with exceptional quality. A wedding Album should be THE visual representation of who you are as a couple in addition to telling the story of the wedding day.

Getting to know your photographer and building a rapport will ensure you get more personalized images that you will cherish forever. I get to know my clients during the engagement session (also something I include). This is when I find out what they really are hoping for on the wedding day and, also allows me to see how my clients interact with each other. I will also interact with them to find out how far they are willing to go for original, dynamic and unforgettable images. Depending on the size of your album, some of the images in your album may be larger than images you currently have on your walls right now. I offer my clients 10x10, 12x12 & 12x18 album sizes. When opened and laid flat, the image could be 10x20 (as in the case below) up to 18x24! That's huge!

Let's put all this into perspective.

Instead of only thinking by today's standards, a mere DVD of your wedding images may be great to have now but, completely inadequate in your future to remember the day your new story began. Don't sell yourself short when it come to hiring the right Las Vegas or Chicago Wedding Photographer. A wedding album will ensure your love story is documented the same way all the other (fiction or non-fiction) classic love stories of all time!

Here are the five most important things you should consider when choosing the right wedding photographer!

CONNECTION & PERSONALITYYou are selecting more than just a person to show up and take a few pictures at your wedding! You are hiring a wedding photographer that will be connect with you, your spouse, family and friends....

PRICEWhile price and budget should be considered when selecting a wedding photographer, it should not be the riding factor in your decision....

WEDDING ALBUMSWhen selecting a wedding photographer you should look for a photographer that includes an album as a part of your wedding photography package. An album tells the story of your wedding day!....

COVERAGE TIMETypically you will want your wedding photographer to be with you to capture all the moments of your wedding day, not just the ceremony and a few dance photos....

When you attend our OCF 101 Workshop, You’ll learn how to use wireless flash to enhance and properly light your subjects and take better pictures no matter the lighting conditions you are dealt. This will be 3.5 hours of a hands on learning experience. You’ll have the knowledge of how to use speedlights and basic off camera flash lighting techniques.
Learn to shoot like a pro using our equipment and live models.

Here's the link to register: http://christopherpaulphotography.com/product/ocf-101-workshop/

[cs_content][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][x_video_embed no_container="false" type="16:9"][/x_video_embed][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text]When you attend our OCF 101 Workshop, You’ll learn how to use wireless flash to enhance and properly light your subjects and take better pictures. This class will be a hands on learning experience. In just 3.5 hours, You’ll have the knowledge of basic off camera flash lighting techniques. No matter what you typically photograph (weddings, babies, boudoir or family), this class will provide you with the ability to produce better pictures in camera using flash lighting. Don’t worry about flash being too hard or technical. We have made this easy to learn.

NIGHTTIME PHOTOGRAPHY
Learn to shoot like a pro using our equipment and live models. That’s right! You only need to bring your camera, memory card and a notebook. We will provide the space, models, flash units and wireless triggers for you to learn & practice with.

Everyone who takes the workshop will also be included in a private facebook group for ongoing support from others who took the same class and Christopher Paul.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

Join us for a hands-on Off Camera Flash Workshop

On Feb 25th 2017, we are hosting an Off Camera Flash workshop in Palatine, IL. Don't miss out. Limited spaces are available.

When you attend our OCF 101 Workshop, You’ll learn how to use wireless flash to enhance and properly light your subjects and take better pictures. This class will be a hands on learning experience. In just 3 hours, You’ll have the knowledge of basic off camera flash lighting techniques. No matter what you typically photograph (weddings, babies, boudoir or family), this class will provide you with the ability to produce better pictures in camera using flash lighting. Don’t worry about flash being too hard or technical. We have made this easy to learn.

Learn to shoot like a pro using our equipment and live models. That’s right! You only need to bring your camera, memory card and a notebook. We will provide the space, models, flash units and wireless triggers for you to learn & practice with.

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Everyone who takes the workshop will also be included in a private facebook group for ongoing support from Christopher Paul.

[cs_content][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="2/3" style="padding: 0px;"][x_feature_headline level="h2" looks_like="h3" icon="male" class="cs-ta-center"]Getting great Groom photos can be challenging.[/x_feature_headline][cs_text class="cs-ta-justify"]Generally speaking, most often, grooms are far more challenging to photograph than brides. Most brides have dreamt of being photographed in her dress since the age of 10 where grooms are dreading that part. In this case, not only was he a natural in front of the camera, he was so excited for the day to get going and to see his bride! In no way was this planned... instead, he posed with a napkin purchased for the event and was completely impromptu. Sometimes, magic just happens and us photographers have to be ready to capture it.
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Chicago's industrial areas make for amazing wedding photos!

We pride ourselves is finding unique locations for wedding photography and having the vision to create art!
This couple and our photography was featured in Chicago Style Weddings Magazine! Let's get your wedding featured!